CN116830601A

CN116830601A - Torque Resistant Electrical Connectors

Info

Publication number: CN116830601A
Application number: CN202280008922.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 陈仕泉
Original assignee: Cochlear Ltd
Current assignee: Cochlear Ltd
Priority date: 2021-01-12
Filing date: 2022-01-03
Publication date: 2023-09-29
Also published as: EP4278416A4; US20240120685A1; WO2022153135A1; EP4278416A1

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first part and a second part, the second part configured to repeatedly mechanically couple to and decouple from the first part. The first portion includes at least three protrusions in electrical communication with the first circuitry. Each of the at least three protrusions is displaced from and extends substantially parallel to the central axis, and at least two of the at least three protrusions are displaced from the central axis by substantially different distances from each other. The second portion includes at least three receiving portions in electrical communication with the second circuit system. Each of the at least three receiving portions includes two prongs configured to be at least partially formed by the two protrusions upon insertion of a corresponding one of the at least three protrusions. The tines define areas in mechanical and electrical communication with the corresponding protrusions. The two prongs are displaced from and extend substantially parallel to the central axis and are configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first portion and the second portion about the central axis. .

Description

Torsion-resistant electric connector

Background

Technical Field

The present application relates generally to systems and methods for facilitating wired power and data transmission and more particularly for facilitating wired power and data transmission using two connector portions configured to be repeatedly mechanically coupled and decoupled from one another.

Background

Medical devices have provided a wide range of therapeutic benefits to recipients over the last decades. The medical device may include an internal or implantable component/device, an external or wearable component/device, or a combination thereof (e.g., a device having an external component in communication with the implantable component). Medical devices, such as conventional hearing aids, partially or fully implantable hearing prostheses (e.g., bone conduction devices, mechanical stimulators, cochlear implants, etc.), pacemakers, defibrillators, functional electrical stimulation devices, and other medical devices have been successful in performing life saving and/or lifestyle improvement functions and/or recipient monitoring for many years.

Over the years, the types of medical devices and the range of functions performed thereby have increased. For example, many medical devices, sometimes referred to as "implantable medical devices," now typically include one or more instruments, devices, sensors, processors, controllers, or other functional mechanical or electrical components that are permanently or temporarily implanted in a recipient. These functional devices are commonly used to diagnose, prevent, monitor, treat or manage diseases/injuries or symptoms thereof, or to study, replace or modify anatomical structures or physiological processes. Many of these functional devices utilize power and/or data received from external devices that are part of or cooperate with the implantable component.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect disclosed herein, an apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion configured to be repeatedly mechanically coupled to and decoupled from the first portion. The first portion includes at least three protrusions in electrical communication with the first circuitry. Each of the at least three protrusions is displaced from and extends substantially parallel to the central axis, and at least two of the at least three protrusions are displaced from the central axis by distances substantially different from each other. The second portion includes at least three receptacles in electrical communication with second circuitry. Each of the at least three receptacles includes two tines configured to mechanically and electrically communicate with a corresponding one of the at least three protrusions upon insertion into an area at least partially defined by the two tines. The two tines are displaced from and extend substantially parallel to the central axis and are configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second portions about the central axis.

In another aspect disclosed herein, an apparatus includes at least three conductive tines spaced apart from and distributed about an axis. Each of the at least three tines has a pair of substantially parallel tines extending substantially parallel to the axis and spaced apart from each other along a line substantially perpendicular to the axis and substantially perpendicular to a direction extending from the axis to the tines. In certain such aspects, the device further comprises at least three conductive pins spaced apart from and distributed about the axis and extending substantially parallel to the axis. At least three pins are configured to repeatedly mechanically and electrically engage and disengage from the at least three tines. At least two of the at least three conductive prongs are displaced from the axis by distances substantially different from each other.

In another aspect disclosed herein, a method includes providing a first mating portion including a plurality of conductive pins and a second mating portion including a plurality of conductive prongs configured to receive the plurality of conductive pins. The method further includes mating the first mating portion with the second mating portion such that each fork of the plurality of forks is in electrical and mechanical communication with a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins. The method further includes preventing movement of the corresponding pin using each fork in response to torque applied between the first mating portion and the second mating portion.

Drawings

Embodiments are described herein in connection with the following drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example cochlear implant hearing prosthesis implanted in a recipient according to certain embodiments described herein;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example device according to some implementations described herein;

fig. 3A-3D schematically illustrate top views of example apparatus along a central axis according to certain embodiments described herein.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example system including example devices according to some embodiments described herein;

5A-5B schematically illustrate a basic cross-sectional view of an example device having first and second portions mechanically decoupled from each other and mechanically coupled to each other, in accordance with certain embodiments described herein;

FIG. 6A schematically illustrates a perspective view of an example second portion, according to some embodiments described herein;

FIG. 6B schematically illustrates three side views of the example second portion of FIG. 6A;

FIG. 6C schematically illustrates a basic cross-sectional view of example receptacles in mechanical and electrical communication with each other in a plane extending along the example protrusions, in accordance with certain embodiments described herein;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a basic cross-sectional view in a plane substantially perpendicular to a central axis extending through an example apparatus, in accordance with certain embodiments described herein;

8A-8B schematically illustrate two example second portions having at least one rotation-inhibiting structure according to some embodiments described herein; and

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an example method according to some embodiments described herein.

Detailed Description

Certain embodiments described herein provide a small electrical multi-pin connector (e.g., for use in a wearable device or medical device) that provides enhanced torsion resistance (e.g., up to 25N-cm) without compromising component size, electrical conductivity, and/or sealing. The first portion of the connector includes a plurality of pins and the second portion of the connector includes a plurality of conductive prongs having prongs configured to react torque to externally applied relative torque between the first and second portions. For example, the electrical connector of certain embodiments may provide improved torsion resistance (e.g., inhibit damage such as bending of pins and/or prongs under relative torque applied from the outside) while maintaining the size of the connector relatively small.

In at least some embodiments, the teachings detailed herein are applicable to any type of system or device (e.g., a medical device configured to be worn by a recipient) having two electrical connector portions that are expected to be repeatedly mechanically coupled and decoupled from each other and subjected to and withstand torque applied between the two portions. For example, the system may be an implantable medical device (e.g., an implantable sensory prosthesis; an auditory prosthesis system) that includes an external first subsystem (e.g., a sound processor external to the recipient) and an internal second subsystem (e.g., an actuator and/or stimulator implanted on or in the recipient and configured to generate a stimulation signal perceived by the recipient as sound). Examples of auditory prosthesis systems compatible with certain embodiments described herein include, but are not limited to, electro-acoustic/acoustic systems, cochlear implant devices, implantable hearing aid devices, middle ear implant devices, direct Acoustic Cochlear Implants (DACI), middle Ear Transducers (MET), electro-acoustic implant devices, other types of auditory prosthesis devices, and/or combinations or variations thereof, or any other suitable auditory prosthesis system with or without one or more external components.

For ease of description only, the apparatus and methods disclosed herein are described primarily with reference to an exemplary medical device (i.e., cochlear implant). However, the teachings detailed herein and/or variations thereof may also be used with a variety of other wearable components/devices (e.g., medical devices) that provide a wide range of therapeutic benefits to recipients, patients, or other users. In some embodiments, the teachings detailed herein and/or variations thereof may be used with other types of implantable medical devices other than auditory prostheses. For example, the apparatus and methods disclosed herein and/or variations thereof may also be used with one or more of the following: vestibular devices (such as vestibular implants); visual devices (e.g., a simulated eye); visual prostheses (e.g., retinal implants); a sensor; a cardiac pacemaker; a drug delivery system; a defibrillator; a functional electrical stimulation device; a conduit; a brain implant; seizure devices (e.g., devices for monitoring and/or treating epileptic events); sleep apnea apparatus; electroporation; etc. The concepts described herein and/or variations thereof may be applied to any of a variety of implantable medical devices including an implanted component configured to transdermally communicate with an external component using magnetic induction (e.g., receive control signals from the external component and/or transmit sensor signals to the external component) while receiving power from the external component using magnetic induction. In still other embodiments, the teachings detailed herein and/or variations thereof may be used in other types of systems besides components/devices (e.g., medical devices) that utilize magnetic induction for both wireless power transmission and data communication. For example, such other components, devices, and/or systems may include one or more of the following: wearable devices (e.g., smart watches), consumer products (e.g., smartphones; ioT devices), and electric vehicles (e.g., automobiles).

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an example cochlear implant hearing prosthesis 100 implanted in a recipient according to some embodiments described herein. The example hearing prosthesis 100 is shown in fig. 1 as including an implantable stimulator unit 120 (e.g., an actuator) and an external microphone assembly 124 (e.g., a partially implantable cochlear implant). The example hearing prosthesis 100 (e.g., a fully implantable cochlear implant) according to some embodiments described herein may replace the external microphone assembly 124 shown in fig. 1 with a subcutaneous implantable assembly including an acoustic transducer (e.g., a microphone), as described more fully herein.

As shown in fig. 1, the recipient generally has an outer ear 101, a middle ear 105, and an inner ear 107. In a fully functional ear, the outer ear 101 comprises an auricle 110 and an ear canal 102. Sound pressure or sound waves 103 are collected by the pinna 110 and pass through the passageway into and through the ear canal 102. A tympanic membrane 104 is disposed across the distal end of the ear canal 102 that vibrates in response to the sound wave 103. This vibration is coupled to the oval or oval window 112 through three bones of the middle ear 105, collectively referred to as the ossicles 106, and including the malleus 108, incus 109, and stapes 111. Bones 108, 109, and 111 of middle ear 105 serve to filter and amplify sound wave 103, causing oval window 112 to articulate or vibrate in response to vibrations of tympanic membrane 104. This vibration creates a fluid motion wave of perilymph within cochlea 140. This fluid movement in turn activates tiny hair cells (not shown) inside cochlea 140. Activation of the hair cells causes appropriate nerve impulses to be generated and transmitted through the spiral ganglion cells (not shown) and the auditory nerve 114 to the brain (also not shown) where they are perceived as sound.

As shown in fig. 1, an example hearing prosthesis 100 includes one or more components that are temporarily or permanently implanted in a recipient. An example hearing prosthesis 100 is shown in fig. 1 as having: an external component 142 attached directly or indirectly to the body of the recipient; and an inner member 144 that is temporarily or permanently implanted in the recipient (e.g., positioned in a recess adjacent to temporal bone of the recipient's auricle 110). The external component 142 generally includes one or more input elements/devices for receiving an input signal at the sound processing unit 126. The one or more input elements/devices may include one or more sound input elements (e.g., one or more external microphones 124) and/or one or more auxiliary input devices (not shown in fig. 1) for detecting sound (e.g., an audio port, such as a Direct Audio Input (DAI), a data port, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a cable port, etc.). In the example of fig. 1, the sound processing unit 126 is a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processing unit that is configured to be attached to and worn adjacent to the recipient's ear. However, in certain other embodiments, the sound processing unit 126 has other arrangements, such as an OTE processing unit (e.g., a component having a generally cylindrical shape and configured to magnetically couple to the head of a recipient), a mini or micro BTE unit, an in-canal unit configured to be positioned within the ear canal of a recipient, a body worn sound processing unit, and the like.

The sound processing unit 126 of some embodiments includes a power source (not shown in fig. 1) (e.g., a battery), a processing module (not shown in fig. 1) (e.g., including one or more Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), one or more microcontroller cores, one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), firmware, software, etc.), and an external transmitter unit 128. In the exemplary embodiment of fig. 1, the external transmitter unit 128 includes circuitry that includes at least one external inductive communication coil 130 (e.g., a wire antenna coil including a plurality of turns of electrically insulated single or multi-strand platinum wire or gold wire). The external transmitter unit 128 generally also includes a magnet (not shown in fig. 1) that is directly or indirectly secured to at least one external inductive communication coil 130. At least one external inductive communication coil 130 of the external transmitter unit 128 is part of an inductive Radio Frequency (RF) communication link with the internal component 144. The sound processing unit 126 processes signals from input elements/devices (e.g., in the particular implementation depicted in fig. 1, a microphone 124 positioned outside the recipient's body by the recipient's pinna 110). The sound processing unit 126 generates an encoded signal, sometimes referred to herein as an encoded data signal, which is provided to the external transmitter unit 128 (e.g., via a cable). It will be appreciated that the sound processing unit 126 may utilize digital processing techniques to provide frequency shaping, amplification, compression, and other signal conditioning, including conditioning based on recipient-specific fitting parameters.

The power supply of the external component 142 is configured to provide power to the hearing prosthesis 100, wherein the hearing prosthesis 100 includes a battery (e.g., located in the internal component 144, or disposed at a separate implantation location) that is charged by the power provided by the external component 142 (e.g., via a percutaneous energy delivery link). The transcutaneous energy transfer link is used to transfer power and/or data to the internal components 144 of the auditory prosthesis 100. Various types of energy transfer (e.g., infrared (IR), electromagnetic, capacitive, and inductive transfer) may be used to transfer power and/or data from the external component 142 to the internal component 144. During operation of the hearing prosthesis 100, the power stored by the rechargeable battery is distributed to various other implanted components as needed.

The inner member 144 includes the inner receiver unit 132, the stimulator unit 120, and the elongate stimulation assembly 118. In some implementations, the internal receiver unit 132 and the stimulator unit 120 are hermetically sealed within a biocompatible housing, sometimes collectively referred to as a stimulator/receiver unit. The internal receiver unit 132 includes at least one internal inductive communication coil 136 (e.g., a wire antenna coil comprising a plurality of turns of electrically insulated single or multi-strand platinum or gold wire) and typically includes a magnet (not shown in fig. 1) that is fixed relative to the at least one internal inductive communication coil 136. The at least one internal inductive communication coil 136 receives power and/or data signals from the at least one external inductive communication coil 130 via a transcutaneous energy transfer link (e.g., an inductive RF link). The stimulator unit 120 generates stimulation signals (e.g., electrical stimulation signals; optical stimulation signals) based on the data signals, and the stimulation signals are delivered to the recipient via the elongate stimulation assembly 118.

Elongate stimulation assembly 118 has a proximal end connected to stimulator unit 120 and a distal end implanted in cochlea 140. Stimulating assembly 118 extends from stimulator unit 120 through mastoid bone 119 to cochlea 140. In some embodiments, the stimulating assembly 118 may be implanted at least in the base region 116, and sometimes deeper. For example, stimulating assembly 118 may extend toward the apex of cochlea 140, referred to as cochlear tip 134. In certain cases, stimulating assembly 118 may be inserted into cochlea 140 via cochleostomy 122. In other cases, cochlear fenestration may be formed by round window 121, oval window 112, promontory 123, or by the apical loop 147 of cochlea 140.

The elongate stimulation assembly 118 includes a longitudinally aligned and distally extending array 146 (e.g., electrode array; contact array) of stimulation elements 148 (e.g., electrodes; electrical contacts; optical emitters; optical contacts). The stimulating elements 148 are longitudinally spaced apart from one another along the length of the elongate body of the stimulating assembly 118. For example, stimulation assembly 118 may include an array 146 including twenty-two (22) stimulation elements 148 configured to deliver stimulation to cochlea 140. Although the array 146 of stimulation elements 148 may be disposed on the stimulation assembly 118, in most practical applications the array 146 is integrated into the stimulation assembly 118 (e.g., the stimulation elements 148 of the array 146 are disposed in the stimulation assembly 118). As noted, stimulator unit 120 generates stimulation signals (e.g., electrical signals; optical signals) that are applied to cochlea 140 by stimulation element 148 to stimulate acoustic nerve 114.

Although fig. 1 schematically illustrates an auditory prosthesis 100 utilizing an external component 142 that includes an external microphone 124, an external sound processing unit 126, and an external power source, in certain other embodiments, one or more of the microphone 124, the sound processing unit 126, and the power source may be implanted on or within a recipient (e.g., within the internal component 144). For example, the hearing prosthesis 100 may have each of the microphone 124, the sound processing unit 126, and the power source implantable on or within the recipient (e.g., enclosed within a subcutaneously located biocompatible component), and may be referred to as a fully implantable cochlear implant ("TICI"). For another example, the hearing prosthesis 100 may have a majority of the components of the cochlear implant (e.g., excluding a microphone, which may be an intra-canal microphone) on or within the implantable recipient, and may be referred to as a majority of the implantable cochlear implant ("mic").

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates an example device 200 according to some implementations described herein. The device 200 includes a first portion 210 that includes at least three protrusions 212 in electrical communication with first circuitry (not shown). Each of the at least three protrusions 212 is displaced from and extends substantially parallel to the central axis 214. The device 200 also includes a second portion 220 that is configured to be repeatedly mechanically coupled to and decoupled from the first portion 210. The second portion 220 includes at least three receptacles 222 in electrical communication with second circuitry (not shown). Each of the at least three receptacles 222 includes two tines 224 configured to mechanically and electrically communicate with a corresponding one of the at least three protrusions 212 when the corresponding protrusion 212 is inserted into an area 226 at least partially defined by the two tines 224. The two tines 224 are displaced from and extend substantially parallel to the central axis 214 and are configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second portions 210, 220 about the central axis 214.

In certain embodiments, the at least three protrusions 212 comprise at least one first conductive material (e.g., a gold-plated hardened beryllium-copper alloy, such as a BeCu alloy that has been previously subjected to a time-hardening heat treatment followed by coating with Au), and the two tines 224 of each of the at least three receptacles 222 comprise at least one second conductive material (e.g., a gold-plated beryllium-copper alloy), which may be the same or different than the at least one first conductive material. In certain embodiments, each protrusion 212 of the at least three protrusions 212 has a width in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis 214 of less than 1 millimeter and is displaced from the central axis 214 by a distance of less than 2 millimeters. In certain embodiments, at least three protrusions 212 are separated from each other by a center-to-center distance of less than or equal to 2 millimeters. In certain embodiments, each receptacle 222 of the at least three receptacles 222 has an edge-to-edge width in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis 214 of less than 2 millimeters. The region 226 between the two tines 224 of the receptacle 22 may have an edge-to-edge width that is less than 1 millimeter and substantially equal to the width of the tab 212 configured to be received by the region 226. Various numbers (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) of protrusions 212 of first portion 210 and numbers (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, or more) of corresponding receptacles 222 of second portion 220 are compatible with certain embodiments described herein. While various configurations are described herein in which each protrusion 212 of the plurality of protrusions 212 is a component of the first portion 210 and each receptacle 222 of the plurality of receptacles 222 is a component of the second portion 220, other configurations in which at least some protrusions 212 are components of the second portion 220 and at least some receptacles 222 are components of the first portion 210 are also compatible with certain embodiments described herein.

Fig. 3A-3D schematically illustrate top views of an example apparatus 200 along a central axis 214 according to certain embodiments described herein. In certain embodiments, the two tines 224 of the receptacle 222 are positioned along a line 310 that is substantially tangential to a circle 312 that surrounds the central axis 214 (e.g., is centered on the central axis) and has a radius that is substantially equal to the corresponding distance of the corresponding protrusion 212 from the central axis 214. For example, as schematically illustrated in fig. 3A, three protrusions 212 are equidistant from the central axis 214, and two tines 224 of each of the three receptacles 222 are positioned along corresponding lines 310 that are substantially tangential to a circle 312. For another example, as schematically illustrated in fig. 3B, four protrusions 212 are equidistant from the central axis 214, and two tines 224 of each of the four receptacles 222 are positioned along corresponding lines 310 that are substantially tangential to a circle 312.

In certain embodiments, at least two of the at least three protrusions 212 are displaced from the central axis 214 by a distance substantially equal to each other. For example, as schematically illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B, each of the protrusions 212 may be displaced the same distance from the central axis 214. In certain embodiments, at least two of the at least three protrusions 212 are displaced from the central axis 214 by distances substantially different from each other. In some embodiments, a first subset of the two or more protrusions 212 may be displaced from the central axis 214 by a first distance that is substantially equal to each other, a second subset of the two or more protrusions 212 may be displaced from the central axis 214 by a second distance that is substantially equal to each other, and the second distance may be substantially different from the first distance. In certain embodiments, two tines 224 of each of the at least three receptacles 222 are spring loaded and configured to catch a corresponding tab 212.

For example, as schematically illustrated in fig. 3C, two protrusions 212 are equidistantly displaced a first distance from central axis 214 and two tines 224 of corresponding receptacles 222 are positioned along a corresponding line 310 substantially tangential to a first circle 312a having a first radius substantially equal to the first distance, two other protrusions 212 are equidistantly displaced a second distance from central axis 214 and two tines 224 of corresponding receptacles 222 are positioned along a corresponding line 310 substantially tangential to a second circle 312b having a second radius substantially equal to the second distance. For another example, as schematically illustrated in fig. 3D, two outermost protrusions 212 are equidistantly displaced from the central axis 214 by a first distance substantially equal to a first radius of the first circle 312a, two other protrusions 212 are equidistantly displaced from the central axis 214 by a second distance substantially equal to a second radius of the second circle 312b, and two innermost protrusions 212 are equidistantly displaced from the central axis 214 by a third distance substantially equal to a third radius of the third circle 312 c. The tines 224 of the receptacles 222 corresponding to the two outermost protrusions 212 are positioned along a corresponding line 310 that is substantially tangent to the first circle 312a, the tines 224 of the receptacles 222 corresponding to the two other protrusions 212 are positioned along a corresponding line 310 that is substantially tangent to the second circle 312b, and the tines 224 of the receptacles 222 corresponding to the two innermost protrusions 212 are positioned along a corresponding line 310 that is substantially tangent to the third circle 312 c. In yet another example, each of the protrusions 212 may be displaced from the central axis 214 by a corresponding distance that is substantially different from one another. In some embodiments (see, e.g., fig. 3D), the two tines 224 of each receptacle 222 are configured to not fully encircle the corresponding protrusion 212 when coupled to the protrusion 212 (e.g., only a portion of the perimeter of the protrusion 212 is contacted by the tines 224), thereby allowing the receptacles 222 to be positioned closer together such that more receptacles 222 can fit within the second portion 220 without creating an electrical short circuit between the receptacles 222 (e.g., allowing the device 200 to have a smaller width perpendicular to the central axis 214 than the width of the device when fully encircling the corresponding protrusion).

In certain embodiments, the protrusion 212 and the receptacle 222 are configured to resist relative torque between the first portion 210 and the second portion 220 about the central axis 214. For example, such relative torque may be externally applied as first portion 210 and/or second portion 220 twist as first portion 210 and second portion 220 are coupled together. As schematically illustrated in fig. 3A-3D, when a relative torque is applied between the first portion 210 and the second portion 220 from the outside about the central axis 214, each protrusion 212 applies a force (indicated in fig. 3A-3D by the double-headed arrow of line 310) to one of the two tines 224 that is in contact with the protrusion 212, and the tines 224 apply a reaction force to the protrusion 212. In some such embodiments, the rigidity of the protrusion 212 and the tines 222 inhibits (e.g., prevents; inhibits) the protrusion 212 from moving along the corresponding circle 312 relative to the tines 222, thereby providing a torque that counteracts the externally applied relative torque between the first and second portions 210, 220.

In certain embodiments, the device 200 is an external portion of a medical system (e.g., a portion that is not implanted on or in a recipient). For example, fig. 4 schematically illustrates an example outer portion 400 of an acoustic prosthesis system 100 (e.g., a cochlear implant system) including an example device 200, according to some embodiments described herein. Portion 400 may include a sound processing unit 126 including first circuitry (e.g., a power supply and/or processing module) configured to perform signal processing operations. The portion 400 may also include an external transmitter unit 128 that includes second circuitry (e.g., at least one external inductive communication coil 130) that is part of an inductive RF communication link with the internal components 144 of the acoustic prosthesis system 100. The outer portion 400 of fig. 4 also includes a cable 410 (e.g., including a plurality of electrically conductive wires) configured to be in electrical communication with the external transmitter unit 128 (e.g., via electrical connector 412) and with the sound processing unit 126 (e.g., via electrical connector 414). In certain embodiments, one or both of the electrical connectors 412, 414 comprise the apparatus 200 as described herein. In some implementations (as shown in fig. 4), the components that include active circuitry (e.g., sound processing unit 126) include a first portion 210 of device 200, cable 410 includes a second portion 220 of device 200, and in some other implementations, cable 410 includes a first portion 210 of device 200, and the components that include active circuitry include a second portion 220 of device 200.

Fig. 5A-5B schematically illustrate a basic cross-sectional view of an example device 200 according to some embodiments described herein, in which a first portion 210 and a second portion 220 are mechanically decoupled from each other and mechanically coupled to each other. In certain embodiments, the first portion 210 includes a socket 510, the second portion 220 includes a plug 520 (see, e.g., fig. 5A-5B), and in certain other embodiments, the first portion 210 includes a plug 520, and the second portion 220 includes a socket 510.

As schematically illustrated in fig. 5A, the protrusion 212 (e.g., pin) of certain embodiments includes a first portion that extends from the inner surface 512 of the socket 510 into the region 514 configured to receive the plug 520. In certain embodiments (see, e.g., fig. 5A), the protrusion 212 does not extend beyond the first outer surface 516 of the socket 510, while in certain other embodiments, the protrusion 212 extends beyond the first outer surface 516. In certain embodiments (see, e.g., fig. 5A), one or more of the protrusions 212 include a second portion that extends from the second outer surface 518 of the socket 510 and is in electrical communication with an electrical conductor (e.g., bonded, soldered or welded to a wire) that is in electrical communication with the first circuitry.

In some embodiments, the socket 510 is configured to be mounted on or within a component (e.g., the sound processing unit 126) that includes first circuitry in electrical communication with the protrusion 212 (e.g., the first circuitry is connected to a second portion of the protrusion 212 that extends from a second outer surface 518 of the socket 510). In some such embodiments, socket 510 is installed with a moisture-tight seal between socket 510 and surrounding components (e.g., a seal formed by compressing an O-ring 519 between the surface of socket 510 and the component).

As schematically illustrated in fig. 5A, the receptacles 222 (e.g., prongs) of certain embodiments include a first portion that includes tines 224 (e.g., prongs) and that extends from an inner surface 522 of the plug 520, the tines 224 at least partially defining an area 226 within the plug 520 that is configured to receive a corresponding protrusion 212. In certain embodiments (see, e.g., fig. 5A), the receptacle 222 does not extend beyond the first outer surface 526 of the plug 520, while in certain other embodiments, the receptacle 222 extends beyond the first outer surface 526. As schematically illustrated in fig. 5B, the first outer surface 526 of the plug 520 may be configured to contact or be proximate to the first outer surface 512 of the socket 510 when the first portion 210 and the second portion 220 are coupled to one another. In certain embodiments (see, e.g., fig. 5A), one or more of the receptacles 222 includes a second portion extending from a second outer surface 528 of the plug 520 (e.g., within the housing 530) to be in electrical communication with an electrical conductor (e.g., bonded, soldered, welded to a wire) that is in electrical communication with the second circuitry.

Fig. 6A schematically illustrates a perspective view of an example second portion 220 including four receptacles 222, according to certain embodiments described herein. Fig. 6B schematically illustrates three side views of the example second portion 220 of fig. 6A. Fig. 6C schematically illustrates a basic cross-sectional view of the example second portion 220 of fig. 6A-6B and the example receptacle 222 in mechanical and electrical communication with each other in a plane extending along the example protrusion 212, according to some embodiments described herein. The example second portion 220 of fig. 6A-6C corresponds to the example apparatus 200 of fig. 3C, wherein two of the four receptacles 222 are each a first distance from the central axis 214 and two other of the four receptacles 222 are each a second distance from the central axis 214, the second distance being substantially different from the first distance.

As schematically illustrated in fig. 6A-6B, the second portion 220 may include a plurality of conductive receptacles 222 (e.g., prongs) spaced apart from and distributed about an axis (e.g., the central axis 214). Each receptacle 222 of the plurality of receptacles 222 has a pair of substantially parallel tines 224 (e.g., prongs) configured to repeatedly mechanically and electrically engage and disengage from a corresponding conductive pin (e.g., the protrusion 212 of the first portion 210). Tines 224 extend substantially parallel to the axis and are spaced apart from each other along a line that is substantially perpendicular to the axis and to a direction extending from the axis to receptacle 222. In certain embodiments, each receptacle 222 of the plurality of receptacles 222 is substantially identical to each other.

Fig. 7 schematically illustrates a substantially cross-sectional view in a plane substantially perpendicular to a central axis 214 extending through the example apparatus 200, in accordance with certain embodiments described herein. The relative torque applied from the outside about the central axis 214 between the first portion 210 and the second portion 220 is represented by arrow 710 and the resulting force applied by the protrusion 212 to the tines 224 of the receptacle 222 is represented by arrow 712. In some such embodiments, the tines 222 are configured to inhibit (e.g., prevent; inhibit) movement of the protrusion 212 relative to the tines 222 due to externally applied torque, and the resultant reaction force applied to the protrusion 212 by the tines 222 generates a torque that counteracts the externally applied relative torque between the first and second portions 210, 220.

Fig. 8A and 8B schematically illustrate two example second portions 220 having at least one rotation-inhibiting structure 810 according to some embodiments described herein. For example, the first portion 210 may include at least one first interlocking portion (e.g., at least one socket portion having one or more recesses and/or protrusions) and the second portion 220 includes at least one second interlocking portion (e.g., at least one plug portion having one or more protrusions and/or recesses) configured to couple with (e.g., mate with; engage) and decouple (e.g., disengage) from the at least one first interlocking portion. The at least one first interlocking portion and the at least one second interlocking portion may be configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first portion 210 and the second portion 220 about the central axis 214 such that the at least one rotation inhibiting structure 810 provides additional protection against externally applied relative torque between the first portion 210 and the second portion 220.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart of an example method 900 according to some embodiments described herein. In operation block 910, method 900 includes providing a first mating portion (e.g., first portion 210) including a plurality of conductive pins (e.g., protrusions 212) and a second mating portion (e.g., second portion 220) including a plurality of conductive prongs (e.g., receptacles 222) configured to receive the plurality of conductive pins. For example, the first mating portion may include a socket 510 of an electrical connector and the second mating portion may include a plug 520 of the electrical connector.

In operation block 920, the method 900 further includes mating the first mating portion with the second mating portion such that each of the plurality of prongs is in electrical and mechanical communication with a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins. In operation block 930, the method 900 further includes preventing movement of the corresponding pin using each fork in response to the torque applied between the first mating portion and the second mating portion. For example, each fork may produce a torque that at least partially counteracts the applied torque.

Although commonly used terms are used to describe the systems and methods of certain embodiments for ease of understanding, these terms are used herein with the broadest reasonable interpretation. While various aspects of the present disclosure have been described with respect to illustrative examples and embodiments, the disclosed examples and embodiments should not be construed as limiting. Conditional language such as "can," "possible," "light," or "can" (etc.) is generally intended to convey that a particular embodiment comprises a particular feature, element, and/or step, and other embodiments do not comprise a particular feature, element, and/or step, unless specifically stated otherwise or otherwise understood in the context of use as such. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments must include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included in or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. In particular, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced.

It should be appreciated that the embodiments disclosed herein are not mutually exclusive and may be combined with each other in various arrangements. Additionally, while the disclosed methods and apparatus have been described to a great extent in the context of conventional cochlear implants, the various embodiments described herein may be incorporated in a variety of other suitable devices, methods, and contexts. More generally, as can be appreciated, certain embodiments described herein can be used in a variety of wearable device contexts that can utilize a small electrical connector that includes multiple portions that are configured to repeatedly couple and decouple from one another.

As used herein, the terms "about," "substantially," and "substantially" are intended to refer to a value, quantity, or characteristic that is close to the stated value, quantity, or characteristic that still performs the desired function or achieves the desired result. For example, the terms "about," "substantially," and "substantially" may refer to an amount that is within ±10% of the amount, within ±5% of the amount, within ±2% of the amount, within ±1% of the amount, or within ±0.1% of the amount. As another example, the terms "substantially parallel" and "substantially parallel" refer to values, amounts, or features that deviate from exact parallelism by ±10 degrees, ±5 degrees, ±2 degrees, ±1 degrees, or ±0.1 degrees, and the terms "substantially perpendicular" and "substantially perpendicular" refer to values, amounts, or features that deviate from exact perpendicular by ±10 degrees, ±5 degrees, ±2 degrees, ±1 degrees, or ±0.1 degrees. The ranges disclosed herein also encompass any and all overlaps, sub-ranges, and combinations thereof. Languages such as "up to", "at least", "greater than", "less than", "between … …", and the like include the recited numbers. As used herein, the meaning of "a" and "an" includes plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, as used in the description herein, the meaning of "in … …" includes "into … …" and "on … …" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Although the methods and systems are discussed herein in terms of elements labeled with ordinal adjectives (e.g., first, second, etc.), the ordinal adjectives are merely used as labels to distinguish one element from another element (e.g., one signal from another, or one circuitry from another), and the ordinal adjectives are not intended to imply a sequence of such elements or an order of their use.

The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific example embodiments disclosed herein, as these embodiments are intended as illustrations and not limitations on the several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in form and detail in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the claims. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first portion comprising at least three protrusions in electrical communication with the first circuitry, each of the at least three protrusions being displaced from a central axis and extending substantially parallel to the central axis, at least two of the at least three protrusions being displaced from the central axis by distances substantially different from each other; and

a second portion configured to be repeatedly mechanically coupled to and decoupled from the first portion, the second portion comprising at least three receptacles in electrical communication with second circuitry, each of the at least three receptacles comprising two tines configured to mechanically and electrically communicate with a corresponding one of the at least three tines upon insertion into an area at least partially defined by the two tines, the two tines being displaced from and extending substantially parallel to the central axis and configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first and second portions about the central axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a socket and the second portion comprises a plug.

3. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein each of the at least three protrusions has a width in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis of less than 1 millimeter and is displaced from the central axis by a distance of less than 2 millimeters, the at least three protrusions being separated from each other by a center-to-center distance of less than or equal to 2 millimeters.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein each of the at least three receptacles has a width in a plane substantially perpendicular to the central axis of less than 2 millimeters.

5. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the two tines are spring-loaded and are configured to catch the corresponding protrusions.

6. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the two tines are positioned along a line substantially tangential to a circle centered about the central axis and having a radius substantially equal to a corresponding distance of the corresponding protrusion from the central axis.

7. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein at least two of the at least three protrusions are displaced from the central axis by a distance substantially equal to each other.

8. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the first portion comprises at least one first interlocking portion and the second portion comprises at least one second interlocking portion configured to engage and disengage from the at least one first interlocking portion, the at least one first interlocking portion and the at least one second interlocking portion configured to inhibit relative rotation between the first portion and the second portion about the central axis.

9. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is an external part of an acoustic prosthesis system, the external part comprising:

a sound processing unit comprising the first circuitry; and

a cable configured to be in electrical communication with the second circuitry.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least three conductive tines spaced apart from and distributed about an axis, each tine of the at least three tines having a pair of substantially parallel tines, the tines of the pair of tines extending substantially parallel to the axis and spaced apart from each other along a line substantially perpendicular to the axis and substantially perpendicular to a direction extending from the axis to the tines, at least two of the at least three conductive tines being displaced from the axis by substantially different distances from each other.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the at least three tines is substantially identical to each other.

12. The apparatus of any one of claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the tip comprises a hardened BeCu alloy coated with Au.

13. The apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein each of the at least three tines has a width along the line of less than 2 millimeters and the tines are spaced apart from each other along the line by a center-to-center distance of less than or equal to 1 millimeter.

14. The apparatus of any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising at least three conductive pins spaced apart from and distributed about the axis and extending substantially parallel to the axis, at least three pins configured to repeatedly mechanically and electrically engage and disengage from the at least three tines.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the at least three pins has a width in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of less than 1 millimeter and is displaced from the axis by a distance of less than 2 millimeters, the at least three pins being separated from each other by a center-to-center distance of less than or equal to 2 millimeters.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 or 15, wherein upon externally applying a relative torque about the axis between the at least three tines and the at least three pins, the at least three pins apply a force to the at least three tines and the at least three tines apply a reaction force to the at least three pins.

17. A method, comprising:

providing a first mating portion comprising a plurality of conductive pins and a second mating portion comprising a plurality of conductive prongs configured to receive the plurality of conductive pins;

mating the first mating portion with the second mating portion such that each fork of the plurality of forks is in electrical and mechanical communication with a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins; and

each fork is used to resist movement of the corresponding pin in response to torque applied between the first mating portion and the second mating portion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first mating portion comprises a socket of an electrical connector and the second mating portion comprises a plug of the electrical connector.

19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, further comprising generating a torque using each fork that at least partially counteracts the applied torque.

20. The method of any of claims 17-19, wherein the plurality of conductive pins comprises at least three pins spaced apart from an axis and extending substantially parallel to the axis, at least two of the at least three pins being spaced apart from the axis by distances substantially different from each other.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of conductive tines includes at least three tines spaced apart from the axis, each of the at least three tines having a pair of substantially parallel tines extending substantially parallel to the axis and spaced apart from each other along a line substantially perpendicular to the axis and substantially perpendicular to a direction extending from the axis to the tines, at least two of the at least three tines being spaced apart from the axis by substantially different distances from each other.